Turkish prime minister to meet for first time with protest leaders

By Michael Martinez. Ben Brumfield and Gul Tuysuz, CNN

Updated 12:22 AM ET, Fri June 14, 2013

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Demonstrations in Turkey – Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan speaks to the deputies of his ruling Justice and Development Party during a meeting with Turkish parliament on Tuesday, June 18. Erdogan said he had no intention of restricting anyone's democratic rights. "If you want to make a protest do it, do it, but do it within the framework of law," he said.

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Demonstrations in Turkey – Turkish performance artist Erdem Gunduz, center, is joined by others as he makes his silent protest in Taksim Square. As word of his gesture of protest spread, Gunduz became known as the "standing man." Protests that began as a demonstration against the planned demolition of a park have grown into general anti-government dissent across the nation.

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Demonstrations in Turkey – People carry the coffin of Ethem Sarisuluk, who was killed during recent protests in Turkey, on Sunday, June 16, in Ankara.

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Demonstrations in Turkey – Tens of thousands attend a rally to hear Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan speak in Istanbul on June 16, a day after he ordered a crackdown on anti-government protesters at Gezi Park.

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Demonstrations in Turkey – A protester faces water cannons during a clash with police at an anti-government demonstration in Ankara on June 16.

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Demonstrations in Turkey – Police walk through tear gas during protests at Kizilay Square in central Ankara on June 16.

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Demonstrations in Turkey – Police detain protesters after a crackdown on a demonstration at Istanbul's Gezi Park on June 16.

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Demonstrations in Turkey – A protester runs during clashes between riot police and demonstrators in the streets adjacent to Taksim Square in Istanbul on Sunday, June 16.

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Demonstrations in Turkey – A protester throws a tear gas canister back at riot police during clashes near Taksim Square on June 16.

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Demonstrations in Turkey – Trash containers burn in front of riot police forces in Ankara, Turkey, on June 16.

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Demonstrations in Turkey – Protesters gather in the main shopping street near Taksim Square in the early morning hours of June 16 as riot police clear Gezi Park in Istanbul.

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Demonstrations in Turkey – Turkish riot police officers use rubber bullets on June 15 to disperse demonstrators in Gezi Park in Istanbul on June 15.

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Demonstrations in Turkey – Protesters scramble for safety as Turkish riot police officers push them out of Gezi Park using tear gas and rubber bullets.

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Demonstrations in Turkey – Protesters run for cover as riot police spray them with a water cannon on June 15.

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Demonstrations in Turkey – A protester throws rocks at police during clashes at the entrance of Gezi Park on June 15.

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Demonstrations in Turkey – A protester on June 15, reacts in pain to a salvo of tear gas fired by Turkish riot police chasing out demonstrators in order to dismantle their tent camp in Gezi Park in Istanbul.

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Demonstrations in Turkey – Riot police move in a line through the tent camp on June 15.

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Demonstrations in Turkey – Protesters escape from tear gas during the crackdown at Gezi Park on June 15.

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Demonstrations in Turkey – Protestors fire fireworks as police drive them out of Gezi Park on June 15.

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Demonstrations in Turkey – Protesters sleep in Gezi Park in Istanbul's Taksim Square early Thursday, June 13. Turkey's prime minister on Thursday called on protesters camped out in the park to pack up and leave.

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Demonstrations in Turkey – A man plays piano for hundreds of protesters in Taksim Square on Wednesday, June 12, in Istanbul.

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Demonstrations in Turkey – A man waves a flag in Taksim Square on June 12.

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Demonstrations in Turkey – A man sleeps in Gezi Park in Istanbul's Taksim Square early on June 12, hours after riot police moved into the square in an attempt to push demonstrators out.

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Demonstrations in Turkey – Municipal workers clean up a street in Taksim Square early on June 12, after police moved in to disperse protesters.

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Demonstrations in Turkey – A protester prepares to throw a tear gas canister back toward police in Taksim Square on Tuesday, June 11.

Demonstrations in Turkey – A protester throws a stone during clashes with riot police on June 11.

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Demonstrations in Turkey – Protesters run from smoke as they clash with police in Istanbul on June 11.

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Demonstrations in Turkey – Protesters take cover behind a barricade as fireworks go off nearby on June 11.

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Demonstrations in Turkey – Medics carry Yasin Ayhan, 23, a protester who broke his leg in a raid early Monday, June 10, in Kugulu Park. Riot police doused thousands of protesters in Ankara with tear gas and jets of water for a second straight night.

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Demonstrations in Turkey – Protesters sleep at Taksim Square in central Istanbul on June 10. Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan warned protesters who have taken to the streets demanding his resignation that his patience has its limits and compared the unrest with an army attempt six years ago to curb his power.

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Demonstrations in Turkey – A demonstrator is detained by police officers as protests resumed in Kizilay Square in Ankara on Sunday, June 9.

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Demonstrations in Turkey – A demonstrator covers his face with a makeshift gas mask during protests in Kizilay Square in Ankara on June 9.

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Demonstrations in Turkey – Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, left, and his wife, Emine, wave to supporters upon their arrival in Ankara on June 9. Erdogan told supporters that "even patience has an end" as he went on the offensive against mass protests that have consumed Ankara and Istanbul.

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Demonstrations in Turkey – Erdogan addresses supporters from the top of a bus as police stand guard at Esenboga International Airport in Ankara on June 9.

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Demonstrations in Turkey – Protesters gather during a demonstration at Taksim Square in Istanbul, on June 9.

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Demonstrations in Turkey – A demonstrator runs toward police during clashes with riot police in Istanbul, on Saturday, June 8.

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Demonstrations in Turkey – Demonstrators shout slogans as they gather at Kizilay Square in Ankara, Turkey, on June 8.

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Demonstrations in Turkey – Women sing as people gather at Kizilay Square in Ankara on June 8.

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Demonstrations in Turkey – Protesters rest in Gezi Park next to Taksim Square during a demonstration in Istanbul on Friday, June 7.

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Demonstrations in Turkey – Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan speaks during the opening session of the Ministry for European Union Affairs Conference on June 7 in Istanbul. Erdogan said today his Islamic-rooted government was open to "democratic demands" and hit back at EU criticism of his government's handling of a week of unrest.

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Demonstrations in Turkey – Supporters of Erdogan wave the Turkish flag upon the prime minister's arrival in Istanbul, on June 7.

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Demonstrations in Turkey – Protestors dance at Gezi Park in Taksim Square on Thursday, June 6.

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Demonstrations in Turkey – A man walks past damaged buses near Taksim Square on Thursday, June 6, in Istanbul, Turkey.

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Demonstrations in Turkey – A mother and her daughter read notes placed by protestors on a destroyed car in Taksim Square on June 6. Thousands of striking union members joined the anti-government protests on June 5, marching in Istanbul and Ankara in a sea of red and white union flags, drumming and yelling for Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan to resign.

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Demonstrations in Turkey – Protestors spend their day at Gezi Park on June 6.

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Demonstrations in Turkey – Protestors demonstrate near the office building of Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Istanbul early on June 6.

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Demonstrations in Turkey – A municipal worker collects garbage set on fire by Turkish protesters in a restaurant district of Ankara on June 5.

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Demonstrations in Turkey – A woman is wheeled away by paramedics during clashes on Kizilay Square in Ankara on Wednesday, June 5.

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Demonstrations in Turkey – Protesters confront police forces during riots in a restaurant district of Ankara, on June 5.

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Demonstrations in Turkey – Demonstrators run for cover as police use water cannons and tear gas on the crowd in Ankara on June 5.

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Demonstrations in Turkey – Protesters gather in Taksim Square as they shout slogans while protesting on Tuesday, June 4, in Istanbul, Turkey.

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Demonstrations in Turkey – Riot police fire tear gas at demonstrators in Istanbul on June 4.

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Demonstrations in Turkey – Paramedics carry a woman injured during clashes between demonstrators and riot police in Istanbul on June 4.

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Demonstrations in Turkey – Turkish police detain a demonstrator during clashes in Istanbul on June 4.

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Demonstrations in Turkey – A protester looks on during clashes with Turkish police outside of Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan's office, near Taksim Square in Istanbul on Tuesday, June 4.

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Demonstrations in Turkey – Demonstrators wave their national flag on June 4, during a protest in Ankara.

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Demonstrations in Turkey – Protesters cover their faces with plastic. After chaotic scenes in the streets Monday that continued late into the night and sent tear gas wafting through the air, the situation was relatively calm on Tuesday morning in Istanbul's central Taksim Square, near the park where the movement began.

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Demonstrations in Turkey – A demonstrator takes cover at a road block between Taksim and Besiktas in Istanbul on June 4.

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Demonstrations in Turkey – Protesters clash with riot police between Taksim and Besiktas in Istanbul on Monday, June 3.

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Demonstrations in Turkey – Protestors pass bricks for building barricades during clashes with riot police in Istanbul on June 3.

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Demonstrations in Turkey – Riot policemen unload tear gas during clashes in Istanbul on June 3.

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Demonstrations in Turkey – Protesters throw riot police's tear gas back at them in Istanbul on June 3.

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Demonstrations in Turkey – Protester wounds are treated during clashes in Istanbul on June 3.

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Demonstrations in Turkey – Demonstrators set up road blocks between Taksim and Besiktas. Barricades remain up around the square, and Erdogan's opponents appear determined to continue the demonstrations despite the prime minister's comment on June 3 that he expects the situation to return to normal "within a few days."

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Demonstrations in Turkey – A medical team tends to a protester. The Turkish Medical Association claimed that at least 3,195 people had been injured in clashes on June 1 and June 2. Only 26 of them were in serious or critical condition, it said.

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Demonstrations in Turkey – Protesters stand atop a pile of rubble during clashes with Turkish police on Monday, June 3.

Demonstrations in Turkey – Police officers tend to a demonstrator during the violent clashes in Istanbul on June 3.

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Demonstrations in Turkey – A protester waves the Turkish flag from a rooftop at Taksim Square on June 3 as large crowds continue to demonstrate below.

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Demonstrations in Turkey – A protester wears a gas mask as smoke from a burned car fills the air at Taksim Square on June 3.

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Demonstrations in Turkey – Despite Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan's call for calm on Monday, June 3, protests continued in Istanbul. Protesters carry the Turkish flag and shout against the government in Gezi Park near central Istanbul.

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Demonstrations in Turkey – After protests that lasted until the early morning, a protester sleeps in a damaged and vandalized vehicle in Taksim Square on June 3. Protests showed no sign of letting up on Monday, almost a week after a peaceful sit-in was met with a police crackdown, igniting the biggest anti-government riots the city has seen in a decade.

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Demonstrations in Turkey – A tired protester rests in front of the graffiti-sprayed wall of an information booth at Taksim Square in central Istanbul on June 3.

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Demonstrations in Turkey – Turkish protesters clash with riot police near the prime minister's office between Taksim and Besiktas early June 3.

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Demonstrations in Turkey – Protesters drive an excavator toward Turkish riot police as they make their way to Erdogan's office on June 3.

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Demonstrations in Turkey – During the clashes, volunteer doctors helped injured protesters in a mosque on June 3.

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Demonstrations in Turkey – A protester is silhouetted by a burning car at Taksim Square during clashes in the early morning of June 3.

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Demonstrations in Turkey – A protester covers his face on June 3 near Erdogan's office in Istanbul.

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Demonstrations in Turkey – Protesters clash with riot police in Istanbul on June 3.

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Demonstrations in Turkey – Protesters gather in Taksim Square in Istanbul on Sunday, June 2.

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Demonstrations in Turkey – Riot police fire tear gas during a protest against Turkey's Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his ruling AK Party in central Ankara on June 2. Sparked by the events in Istanbul, general anti-government protests have sprung up in Ankara.

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Demonstrations in Turkey – Demonstrators hide behind makeshift shields during clashes with Turkish riot police in Ankara on June 2.

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Demonstrations in Turkey – Police use a water cannon to disperse protesters outside Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan's working office in Istanbul on June 2.

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Demonstrations in Turkey – Protesters cling to a police vehicle mounted with a water canon in Istanbul on June 2.

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Demonstrations in Turkey – Turkish police detain a protester during demonstrations in Ankara on June 2.

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Demonstrations in Turkey – A protester flashes a victory sign as he takes part in a demonstration in Ankara on Saturday, June 1 in support of the protests in Istanbul against government plans to demolish a park.

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Demonstrations in Turkey – Protesters clash with riot police in Istanbul, Turkey, on Saturday, June 1.

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Demonstrations in Turkey – Protesters clash with riot police near Gezi Park on June 1. Earlier this week, several dozen activists tried to stage a sit-in at the park, the last bit of green space left in Istanbul's Taksim Square, the city's transit and commercial hub.

Demonstrations in Turkey – Riot police use tear gas in an attempt to disperse the crowd of demonstrators on June 1.

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Demonstrations in Turkey – A man flees the clashes between Turkish protestors and riot police on June 1. On Friday, May 31, riot police stormed the growing camp in Gezi Park with water cannons and tear gas, pushing protesters into surrounding streets and triggering the clashes that have continued for more than 24 hours.

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Demonstrations in Turkey – The clashes damaged surrounding businesses in Istanbul and forced them to close on June 1.

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Demonstrations in Turkey – A man catches his breath behind the line where clashes are taking place on June 1.

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Demonstrations in Turkey – A pair of tourists gasp for air as riot police use tear gas and water cannons the fend off the demonstrators. Turkish security forces allowed small groups of pedestrians to travel through the square.

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Demonstrations in Turkey – Protesters buy gas masks from a local shop near the square on June 1.

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Demonstrations in Turkey – Riot police fire tear gas into the crowd of protesters overnight on Friday, May 31.

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Demonstrations in Turkey – Demonstrators set up barricades and build a fire as they clash with Turkish officers on May 31.

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Demonstrations in Turkey – Friends carry an injured protester on May 31. More than a dozen people have been injured in the clashes.

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Demonstrations in Turkey – Riot police use tear gas and water cannons to disperse a crowd at Taksim Square on May 31.

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Demonstrations in Turkey – An activist wearing a gas mask is enveloped in a cloud of tear gas on May 31.

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Demonstrations in Turkey – A crowd scatters during clashes on May 31, as one demonstrator throws back the tear gas canister that was launched by riot police.

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Demonstrations in Turkey – Protestors brace themselves as they are fired upon with a water canon by Turkish police forces.

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Demonstrations in Turkey – A large group of demonstrators gather to protest the demolition of Gezi Park in Taksim Square on May 31.

Story highlights

Prime Minister Erdogan to EU: "How dare you make such decisions about my country?"

It's time to clean out the park for sanitary reasons, he says

Erdogan: Peaceful protesters should not complain about police action

Turkey's prime minister held his first meeting Thursday night with leaders of Taksim Solidarity Platform, a loose coalition of various groups of demonstrators from Gezi Park, platform leader Eyup Muhcu said.

The meeting came after 24 hours of calm in Istanbul and followed a Wednesday evening gathering between the prime minister and a group of individuals attempting to act as mediators for the protesters in Gezi Park.

Earlier, the prime minister called on protesters camped out in the park to pack up and leave. "We are running out of patience," Recep Tayyip Erdogan told members of his party in the capital, Ankara, on Thursday.

"I am making this warning for one last time."

The government has been delivering conflicting messages. On the one hand, it appeared to slightly soften its stance by saying it would hold a referendum on Gezi Park's fate, but at the same time, the government delivered yet another ultimatum Thursday for the demonstrators to evacuate.

Erdogan intensified his heated rhetoric, at times pushing into the absurd.

Gezi Park reeks, making it high time for police to clear it out, Erdogan said.

Taksim Square almost back to normal

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Fireworks amid protests in Taksim Square

He lashed out at rowdy demonstrators, whom he called "vagabonds" and "thugs." But he also told peaceful protesters they need not complain about the actions of his police, because they had put themselves in the line of tear gas fire by associating with the wrong people and illegal groups.

"Where dry wood is burning, fresh wood will also burn unnecessarily," Erdogan said. He vowed to continue routing out rowdies and ordered peaceful protesters out of the park, asking them to leave police alone with "illegal groups."

"Come forward, mothers, fathers, please, claim your children. Let those children withdraw from that area," he said. "We are on the one hand waiting for the judiciary process. On the other hand, we would take a step towards a plebiscite and we'll follow whatever Istanbul people decide.

"But please own up to your children, take them out," he continued. "Otherwise we cannot wait any longer, because Gezi Park does not belong to occupation forces; Gezi Park belongs to Istanbul people and the whole nation."

Erdogan's party has organized counterprotests for the weekend to give a voice to Turkey's "quiet majority to the people and the world," he said. They will show the international community "a real, true picture of Turkey."

Two rallies will be held away from anti-government protests to avoid possible confrontations, he said.

Negotiations

On Wednesday, the prime minister met with protest mediators for four and a half hours, but some leaders, such as with the Taksim Solidarity, one of the main protest groups, backed out because of what it described as heavy-handed police measures Tuesday night in the square.

But on Thursday night, leaders of Taksim Solidarity were heading to meet with the prime minister in Ankara.

Harsh actions against protesters could strain Erdogan's strategic friendships with much of the West -- relationships that are particularly critical in light of the civil war ravaging Turkey's neighbor, Syria. Turkey is a NATO ally with a democratically elected government.

What began in late May as a demonstration focused on the environment -- opposition to a plan to build a mall in Gezi Park -- has evolved into a wider protest against Erdogan that's spread around the country.

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Erdogan also dealt a slap to the European Union for a resolution it passed Thursday condemning his country's police crackdown on protesters and the suppression of opposition voices.

"The European Parliament's decisions about us, I am not recognizing those decisions," he said.

The comments triggered a thunderous standing ovation and roaring cheers from party members.

"How dare you make such decisions about my country?"

His angry words were echoed by Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu, who said the European Parliament had no right to censure Turkey if it didn't do the same when other European nations tackled protests in similar ways.

For example, he said, water cannons and tear gas were used by German security forces at an Occupy protest in Frankfurt on June 1, the same day as they were deployed in Turkey, without drawing criticism.

"Turkey will always support the freedom of demonstration ... but if this is misused, we distinguish between the innocent demonstrators and the marginal groups who try to misuse the right of demonstration," he said.

He accused some people of trying to damage Turkey's image in the eyes of the world.

Turkey has for many years expressed the desire to become a member of the European Union.

Experts and human rights groups say Erdogan's government lags when it comes to human rights and freedom of expression by opponents.

"Prosecutors and courts continued to use terrorism laws to prosecute and prolong incarceration of thousands of Kurdish political activists, human rights defenders, students, journalists and trade unionists," Human Rights Watch wrote in a 2013 report on Turkey.

Turkish journalists are afraid to write anything critical of the government, and media companies are slapped with huge tax fines for covering uncomfortable topics.

According to the Committee to Protect Journalists, Turkish authorities have targeted journalists with detention for covering the protests.

The prime minister has said many times he will not back down.

On Wednesday evening, Taksim police took two foreign nationals into custody on grounds that they resisted police, according to the Turkish Radio and Television Corp. official website. It was reported that the two men were journalists working for a Canadian television and covering the protests in Taksim Square.

On Thursday, the U.S. Embassy in Ankara issued a security message to American visitors, highlighting a risk of terrorist attacks on U.S. diplomatic, consular and military facilities in Turkey.

"The U.S. Embassy has received an increased number of reports indicating terrorist organizations are targeting these facilities," the advisory said.

It said U.S. diplomatic facilities will remain open for business "in the absence of specific and credible threat information that cannot be otherwise countered."